


Time Capsule

by DValkyrie



Category: Original Work
Genre: 20th Century, F/F, F/M, Other, Post-War, Queer Themes, not historically accurate, vintage gays, vintage lesbians
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-15
Updated: 2018-03-05
Packaged: 2019-03-19 00:12:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13692762
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DValkyrie/pseuds/DValkyrie
Summary: Four years after the end of WWII, two unlikely companions are still adjusting to post-war life. Choosing to settle down in London, they go about their daily lives while hiding their secrets.





	1. 23rd of January, 1949

**Author's Note:**

> Hey,
> 
> So I know I normally right fanfics, but I've had this idea in my mind for over three years. Figured I should get it down physically.
> 
> NOTE: This story is NOT historically accurate.

The hiss of the train caused her to startle, and the screeching brakes made her scrunch her face up in discomfort. Could the government _really_ not afford to fix the trains?   
  
The woman’s thoughts continued to journey along in her own mind as she stepped off the train, left heel first, onto the platform. Wrapping herself up in her blue winter coat, she adjusted her handbag and briskly walked towards the exit.  
  
A burst of steam shot out of the train behind her and she rolled her eyes in annoyance. Perhaps she could ask Laurence to borrow his car to drive to work instead of taking that ghastly machine every-day. Perhaps if she got up early enough, she could walk? But then again, she spent enough time already in front of the mirror to mar her appearance. Her train of thought changed tracks, focusing on this topic as Daphne Cottongate made her way out of the station and into London’s wintery evening.   
  
Daphne glanced at the clock above the entrance to the station, it read 5pm sharp. Perfect, she thought, turning her head to the left where a rather small café was tucked away between a dry-cleaner and barbershop. The empty interior and lonesome few tables out the front meant that not many people would be wanting a drink at this hour, but would rather head home for dinner. Daphne had the same idea in mind, but this particular café proved as a regular meeting spot for the blonde teacher, and the woman currently sitting at one of the tables outside, smoking and staring out at the other people bustling and trotting as quick as they could to get home.  
  
Daphne approached the woman, smiling as her eyes recognized those emerald eyes and black, silky hair. She was so poised, even if she was slumped forward, resting her arms on the wooden table and her head in the flattened palm of her right hand.   
  
“Aren’t you cold?” Daphne asked, noticing that the woman’s green coat was hanging off the back of the chair she sat upon.   
  
The woman looked up at Daphne, and a small, coy smile tugged at the edge of her thin lips,   
  
“Not really,” the answer came with a German accent and a shrug.  
  
With a sigh, Daphne placed her gloved hand on the woman’s shoulder and rubbed it gently.  
  
“Well Anya, I am freezing, so let’s go home,” the blonde stepped back to allow Anya to get up. Daphne’s smile stayed in place while Anya slipped into her long coat, buttoning it up to the very top.   
  
Looking the German up and down, Daphne slipped an arm around Anya’s and pressed close to her body, giggling as Anya hid her face in the collar of her coat.  
  
“Don’t be embarrassed, it’s ever so cold!” Daphne lead the way, knowing the route by heart.   
  
“If someone comes up-”  
  
“Anya,” Daphne shut down Anya’s protest as they turned a corner, and gestured to a gaggle of women on the other side of the road, all huddled together in the same way that they were.  
  
“It’s practically a blizzard, everyone is huddling together right now, so there really is no problem,” Daphne beamed up at Anya.   
  
Anya let out a small sigh and relaxed her arms.   
  
“There we go,” Daphne squeezed Anya’s arms and picked up the pace.  
  
“Come, let’s stop by that bakery on the corner, I want some croissants for tomorrow morning.”  
  
“Then why not go tomorrow morning when the croissants are freshly baked?” Anya questioned, causing Daphne to raise her eyebrows.  
  
“Because it is cheaper to buy them at the end of the day, and then warm them up in the oven tomorrow morning!”  
  
“I see,” Anya pondered the strange British logic.

 

* * *

 

“How were the children today?” Anya asked Daphne, who opened the door to _Ruby’s Bakery_.  
  
“You know,” Daphne started to speak while rummaging in her handbag for her purse.  
  
“I told them all at the beginning of the year that ‘the effort they put into my classes will determine their success,’ and I think more than half of them took that to heart.   
However…”  
  
She let out a huff, “A few scallywags seem to think that my literature lessons are equivalent to nap time.”   
  
Anya couldn’t help but grin, “Are these the boys again?”  
  
“Thomas Hay and Ernest Smith! It’s always those two!” Daphne huffed again, then composed herself to ask for six croissants from the young baker behind the glass displays.  
  
“I take it you cannot request for them to be in a different class,” Anya spoke her thoughts.  
  
“No, I teach literature to all years, I am stuck with them,” Daphne sighed and handed over a crisp note to pay for the pastries.   
  
The baker took the note, all while eyeing Anya. Upon noticing this, Anya stiffened up and pursed her lips together, instantly becoming defensive.   
  
“Is something the matter?” Daphne looked between Anya and the baker. She then placed her purse back inside her handbag and quickly grinned.  
  
“Ah, I see,” Daphne moved her hand up to Anya’s head to adjust the green beret on top.  
  
“Anya, perhaps you got the wrong size. If it keeps moving around like that.”  
  
With that, Daphne turned grabbed Anya’s hand and walked out of the bakery, shooting a quick ‘thank you’ to the Baker over her shoulder.

* * *

  
They left the bakery to a rather quiet street not overly far from the townhouse they lived in. Daphne handed Anya the brown bag to carry and adjusted the gloves on her hands.   
  
Upon a quick inspection of the street to ensure no one else was around, Daphne then quickly got on her tip-toes and placed her lips against Anya’s cheek.  
  
Instantly, Anya jolted as if Daphne had set her coat on fire.  
  
“Daphne!” she hissed and curled into herself and stepped back from the blonde.   
  
“Oh please, Anya, no one is around,” Daphne snorted and took the woman’s arm again.  
  
“We are in _public!_ ” The German protested and tensed up again.  
  
“E-Even what you did in there was too far!”  
  
“How is adjusting your beret ‘too far?’” Daphne tilted her head to the side and went back to eyeing the beret.  
  
“It _is_ rather big…”

Turning crimson in the face, Anya’s turned away, but Daphne simply pressed her fingers against her cheek and made the German face her, getting a very clear view of the scar that slanted left of her lip.   
  
“And I absolutely detest people who stare at you,” Daphne lowered her voice so that only Anya could hear, not that it mattered as the street was completely deserted.  
  
“In case you haven’t noticed, being German In England is no different to being an exhibit in a museum, Daphne,” Anya mumbled and bit her lip.  
  
“I have noticed, and it is by no means something that I will allow,” Daphne curled her fingers under Anya’s chin with a smirk.  
  
“Because I insist being the only one allowed to stare at you.”


	2. January, 1949

“It’s plugged into the wall, there is nothing else I can think of as to why it’s not working.”  
  
“Adjust the antenna again.”  
  
“I just did that!”  
  
The voices grew louder as Daphne walked into the living room of the townhouse. Anya locked the front door and joined her to see two people standing over the corner table.   
  
A tall man had one hand in his pants pocket and the other gripping a cigarette, and the other person had their hands clasped around a black radio, shaking it for dear life as sharp noise of static sounded through the room.  
  
“Just what on earth is going on here?” Daphne put down her handbag on the couch and took off her coat.   
  
The man looked up with no emotion on his face and a French accent, “The radio is misbehaving again.”  
  
“But fear not,” The person straightened up and faced Daphne with a forced smile.  
  
“I promise to get it working again as soon as possible.”  
  
“You’ve been saying that for the last half hour, Benedict,” The man sighed and straightened up, moving his reddish brown hair from his face.   
  
“Laurence, you may as well give up, Benedict is never going to let this go,” Daphne gave a pained smile at him.  
  
“There is no need to give up, I will just reset the radio again!” Benedict, the shorter person, stuck a chubby finger in the air with a triumphant grin on their face.   
  
Anya rolled her eyes and walked out of the living room, muttering something about wanting to shower.  
  
“Perhaps I should join her,” a mischievous smile graced Daphne’s lips as she watched her lover turn left.   
  
“Saving water can wait,” Benedict huffed and bent down to examine the radio again, their left hand yanked on the power chord a few times.  
  
“Benedict, we can buy a new one,” Laurence’s voice was aloof as he unbuttoned his waist coat, but Benedict ignored him and started tapping the side of the radio vigorously.  
  
“I’ll get there, so close now!”  
  
“Well, let me know when you fix it, oh great and powerful Merlin of electronics,” Daphne skipped out of the room, removing her coat in the process.

Laurence gazed after her, then blinked at Benedict, who’s hands shook upon holding the radio.  
  
“Giving up?” Laurence drawled, reaching into his pocket for a cigarette to light.   
  
Benedict smacked their forehead against the radio, “I’ll buy another one tomorrow,” they mumbled.

 

* * *

 

  
“Well, at least the vinyl player still works,” Daphne shrugged, digging into her dinner across from Anya at the table. Both in their dressing gowns as Laurence smoked on the couch and Benedict drank tea out of their favourite cup.  
  
“Indeed,” Anya responded quietly, not taking her eyes off of her plate.  
  
“So how was work today?” Daphne asked with a smile.   
  
Anya shrugged, “It wasn’t very exciting. I had three cars with the same problem come in, it must be a quantity issue.”  
  
“Same problem?” Laurence asked from the house.   
  
“Yes, the Hudson commodore,” Anya noded, peering at her fingernails.  
  
“I wish they would start producing cars again to fix this issue.”  
  
“It is rather annoying how no one will produce any new cars of that model for a while. Perhaps they could fix the engine problem on newer models.”  
  
“But it will cost a fortune,” Benedict chimed in, placing their cup down on the table beside the couch.   
  
“Ever since the war, production for everything has slowed down, and not to mention the state Germany is in, they will be out of business for quite some t- Oh,” Benedict covered their mouth as Anya slumped in her chair.  
  
“Sorry, Anya dear, I couldn’t help myself,” they apologised and got up to place a hand on the German’s shoulder.  
  
Anya could only offer a small nod, “It’s alright. I’m sure Germany will recover.”  
  
Daphne reached over and took Anya’s hand in her own, smiling gently as Laurence nodded.   
  
“France too, it took a while before all of our trade opened up to the world again.”  
  
“It was criminal how long it took, how  _ever_ did we live without the exquisite wine from France, and the beer from Germany?” Daphne let out a dramatic sigh, getting a smile out of Anya.   
  
“How do you think I feel? I was stuck with your awful British tea and cooking.”  
  
“Now excuse you, Miss Rapp, but English cuisine is a taste that graces the shores of every country, both European and Foreign!” Benedict dramatically gasped while Daphne and Laurence let out chuckles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Benedict is a non-binary pansexual, and Laurence is a cisgender heterosexual

**Author's Note:**

> Daphne is bisexual and Anya is a lesbian. Yes, they are a couple. 
> 
> Stay tuned for more ^~^


End file.
